‘Hidden Flames’, written by Afghan female author, available in international market

by Wadsam | April 19, 2017 5:29 pm

The Hidden Flames, a fiction book written by a former child bride and a successful writer Zahra Yaganah, is now also accessible outside of Afghanistan Azmin.co[1] and Amazon.com[2].

The book is based on the real story of Yaganah’s life. Yaganah was 13 years old when she was married to a man twice her age. Yaganah has suffered from abuse by her drug-addicted husband. The violence brought her on the verge of death many times.

The story of Yaganah is not an exception as many Afghan women have faced domestic violence. However, very few has dared to speak about it publicly. Yaganah is one of those few women. She writes explicitly about topics such as marital rape, menstruation and the lifelong damage caused to women by child marriages.

Zahra Yaganah, in an interview with The Guardian[3] says: “It is impossible for Afghan women to read this book and not find an issue that reflects their life story,” she says. “Women can find their path, despite all the problems they have.” She discusses her perceptions about marriage, culture and her attitude towards her husband: “I thought I had to serve my husband like a king.” Barely a teenager, she had no concept of what penetrative sex meant. The morning after the marriage was consummated, she woke up in hospital.

Yaganah hopes her book can help liberate Afghan women and educate readers about women’s lives, menstruation and how women falls victims of cultural norms. She wishes her book will prompt a discussion about how to overcome them.

Endnotes:

Azmin.co: https://azmin.co/products/hidden-flames

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/2oK0RJj

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/18/zahra-yaganah-afghanistan-child-bride-author-light-of-ashes-book#img-2